Create an Invoice - Detailed Explanation

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Article includes explanation of all fields (text based article)

You can create invoices manually using Collaborati's web form. For screenshots with a sample invoice, click here.

To create an invoice in Collaborati

An invoice includes the following sections:

Step 1: Header

Enter/select invoice header fields. Refer to the Creating an Invoice: Header Page Fields table for descriptions of all fields.
Click Next.

Creating an Invoice: Header Page Fields

Field		Description
Invoice Number		The number associated with this invoice.
Invoice Date		The date of invoice submission. This date might be the last day of the Invoice Period or after.
Invoice Period		The span of time that encompasses work that takes place for the invoice. If the date of a line item is not part of the Invoice Period, you can submit the invoice, but your client may have audit rules in place that will cause the invoice to be rejected. (not required by Collaborati)
Invoice Total		The total amount of the invoice. If you enter a number for this field, you still must enter line items. If the Invoice Total does not equal the line item total, you cannot submit the invoice. (not required by Collaborati; if left blank, Collaborati will automatically calculate the total)
Office Office		The name/location of the office that sends the invoice if more than one office exists.
Entity Office Billed		The client entity that receives the invoice.
Description		A description of the invoice. (not required by Collaborati)
Bill Invoice to		The client to which you submit the invoice.
Fee Arrangement		Standard—Indicates the invoice might include hourly rates, line items, and discounts against line items or the entire invoice. Distributed Discount—Indicates the invoice is based on a fixed fee or alternative fee arrangement with the client in which you bring the invoice total to a specific amount.
Tax Type		US—Indicates the invoice does not contain foreign taxes. Non-US—Indicates the invoice contains non-US taxes, such as VAT, or any additional type of tax. You must select a client (that has specified non-US tax codes) before you can select this option. If line item tax details are not enabled for the client’s system, you enter taxes for the invoice as a whole. If line item tax details are enabled, you specify how to enter taxes using the Tax Level field.
Tax Level		Summary Level—Indicates that you enter taxes for the invoice as a whole. Line Item Level—Indicates that you enter taxes for individual line items. Note: This field only appears if you select Non-US as the tax type.
Invoice Type		Standard—Indicates that the invoice that lists fees and expenses that the client must pay. Credit Note—Indicates that the invoice makes a price adjustment in the client’s favor. Accrual—Indicates that the invoice provides early predictions about the invoice but are is not intended to be actually paid. Shadow Invoice—Indicates that the client is not paying based on the actual work performed but still needs to see a detailed invoice for analytical purposes. Appeal Invoice—Indicates that the invoice submits an appeal on another invoice that the client previously rejected or adjusted and approved. Not every client can process every invoice type. Collaborati hides the invoice types that do not apply to a client.
Reference Number		The number of the original invoice that applies to the credit note or shadow invoice. Note: This field only appears if you select Credit Note or Shadow Invoice as the invoice type.
Tax ID		The tax ID number of the client you are billing. Note: This field only appears if the Support LEDES international fields for invoice creation field has a checkbox on your Firm Profile page.
PO No		The purchase order number or code of the client you are billing. Note: This field only appears if the Support LEDES international fields for invoice creation field has a checkbox on your Firm Profile page.
Account Type		Own Account—Indicates that the invoice uses a dedicated client account. Third Party—Indicates that the invoice uses a third-party account. Note: This field only appears if the Support LEDES international fields for invoice creation field has a checkbox on your Firm Profile page.
Invoice Currency		The currency type that applies to the invoice. If you do not choose a currency, the invoice uses the currency from your firm’s profile. Note: This field only appears if the Support LEDES international fields for invoice creation field has a checkbox on your Firm Profile page.
Law Firm Name, Country, Address1, Address2, City, State/Province, Zip/Postal Code		Information about the law firm. Note: This field only appears if the Support LEDES international fields for invoice creation field has a checkbox on your Firm Profile page.
Client Name, Country, Address1, Address2, City, State/Province, Zip/Postal Code		Information about the client. Note: This field only appears if the Support LEDES international fields for invoice creation field has a checkbox on your Firm Profile page.

Step 2: Line Items

.Enter/select invoice line item fields. Refer to the Creating an Invoice: Line Items Page Field table for descriptions of all fields.
Click Add Item. The line item appears in the list of items for this invoice and a running total displays at the bottom of the page.
Add additional line items if necessary.
Click Next.

Creating an Invoice: Line Items Page Field

Field		Description
Matter		The number or name of a matter for the client being billed. The client determines the list of available matters.
Item Type		•Adj on Exp—Indicates positive or negative adjustments against your itemized or summary expenses. Use this item type when you have specific arrangements with your client. This option only appears if you select Alternative Fee as the Fee Arrangement on the Header page and if you have added at least one expense line item. •Adj on Fees—Indicates positive or negative adjustments against your itemized or summary fees. Use this item type when you have specific arrangements with your client. This option only appears if you select Alternative Fee as the Fee Arrangement on the Header page and if you have added at least one fee line item. •Exp—Indicates a specific expense or disbursement. •Fee—Indicates a specific task completed as part of services provided. •Total Exp—Indicates a summary of expenses or disbursement. You can only add a Total Exp line item if you have not already added an Exp line item. •Total Fees—Indicates a summary of the fees for services provided. You can only add a Total Fees line item if you have not already added a Fee line item.
TK		The ID of the timekeeper. The office administrator sets the list of available timekeepers, and the client authorizes this list. A timekeeper ID is not required for an expense.
Date		The date that the fee or expense occurs.
with Exp selected from Item Type	Exp	An appropriate billing code for the expense. Your client sets the list of available expense codes.
	Price	The unit price of the expense. The number of decimal places you can enter depends on your client's settings. For more information, see How do I view my client's settings?
	Units	The number of units of the expense.
with Fee selected from Item Type	Fee	An appropriate billing code for the fee. Your client sets the list of available fee codes.
	Activity	An appropriate activity code for the fee. You client sets the list of available activity codes. You can add a fee without including an activity code.
	Rate	The hourly rate of the timekeeper.
	Hrs	The number of hours worked for the line item.
Discount		The discount amount for the fee or expense line item. This amount is automatically deducted from the line item and the new amount displays in the Amount field.
Amount		The line item amount based on all other amounts you enter as part of the line item.
empty text field		A description of the line item.
Taxable Item		A check-box that specifies that the line item is taxable. Refer to How do I add taxes to line items in an invoice? for more information about how to add US taxes to a line item. Note: This field only appears if the Tax Type of the invoice is US.
Non U.S. Taxes		A drop-down field that specifies non-US taxes for the line item. Refer to How do I add taxes to line items in an invoice? for more information about how to add non-US taxes to a line item. Note: This field only appears if the Tax Type of the invoice is Non-US. You cannot add taxes to individual line items if you select Summary Level for the Tax Level.

Step 3: Taxes & Discount

From the Taxes & Discounts page, you can apply taxes and discounts to an invoice's total amounts.

Section	Description
Discounts section	Discounts can be applied to individual invoice line items from the Line Items screen, or from the Taxes & Discounts screen, as a percentage off of total fees, total expenses, or the invoice total. For the Apply discounts to option, select either Fees & Expenses or Invoice Total. •Choose Fees & Expenses to enter a discount against fees or expense or both (e.g., if you wish to enter different discounts for each). The Current Total Fees and Current Total Expenses display in the Apply Discounts form, and the Fee Discount (%) and Expense Discount (%) fields appear on the screen. Enter the value as a percentage (for example, if you wish to enter 10% discount, enter 10). You will see how your discount affects the Current Total value under the calculated Subtotal field below your discount. •Choose Invoice Total to enter a discount against the entire invoice. The Current Invoice Total displays in the Apply Discounts form, and the Invoice Discount (%) field appears on the screen. Enter the value as a percentage (for example, if you wish to enter 10% discount, enter 10). You will see how your discount affects the Current Total value under the calculated Subtotal field below your discount.
Taxes section	The contents on this section depend on the Tax Type you select on the Header page. Refer to How do I add taxes to line items in an invoice? for information about adding taxes to a line item. •(For US taxes) For Tax(%), enter a tax rate value as a numeric percentage, without the "%" sign. For example, if you wish to enter 8.25% rate, enter 8.25. The tax rate is applied to all line items of the invoice that are marked as Taxable item. •(For Non-US taxes—Summary Level) Enter taxes using the following fields: Matter—Select the matter associated with the tax. Type—Select whether the tax is for a Fee or Expense. Description—Select a non-US tax category to associate with the amount. Amount—Enter the tax amount. Note: Taxes can only be added for the matters and line item type that are used in line items in the previous page (e.g. if your itemized invoice contains only Fees, you cannot enter a tax on Expenses). Note: If all line items for the invoice apply to a single matter, and you are applying non-US taxes to the invoice, the Matter drop-down list will already contain the correct matter. •(For Non-US taxes--Line Item Level) Under Taxes, enter a tax rate value for each tax code that you added to line items on the Line Items screen.

Section

Description

Discounts section

Discounts can be applied to individual invoice line items from the Line Items screen, or from the Taxes & Discounts screen, as a percentage off of total fees, total expenses, or the invoice total.

For the Apply discounts to option, select either Fees & Expenses or Invoice Total.

•Choose Fees & Expenses to enter a discount against fees or expense or both (e.g., if you wish to enter different discounts for each). The Current Total Fees and Current Total Expenses display in the Apply Discounts form, and the Fee Discount (%) and Expense Discount (%) fields appear on the screen.

Enter the value as a percentage (for example, if you wish to enter 10% discount, enter 10). You will see how your discount affects the Current Total value under the calculated Subtotal field below your discount.

•Choose Invoice Total to enter a discount against the entire invoice. The Current Invoice Total displays in the Apply Discounts form, and the Invoice Discount (%) field appears on the screen.

Taxes section

The contents on this section depend on the Tax Type you select on the Header page. Refer to How do I add taxes to line items in an invoice? for information about adding taxes to a line item.

•(For US taxes) For Tax(%), enter a tax rate value as a numeric percentage, without the "%" sign. For example, if you wish to enter 8.25% rate, enter 8.25. The tax rate is applied to all line items of the invoice that are marked as Taxable item.

•(For Non-US taxes—Summary Level) Enter taxes using the following fields:

Matter—Select the matter associated with the tax.

Type—Select whether the tax is for a Fee or Expense.

Description—Select a non-US tax category to associate with the amount.

Amount—Enter the tax amount.

Note: Taxes can only be added for the matters and line item type that are used in line items in the previous page (e.g. if your itemized invoice contains only Fees, you cannot enter a tax on Expenses).

Note: If all line items for the invoice apply to a single matter, and you are applying non-US taxes to the invoice, the Matter drop-down list will already contain the correct matter.

•(For Non-US taxes--Line Item Level) Under Taxes, enter a tax rate value for each tax code that you added to line items on the Line Items screen.

Step 4: Attachments

You can add all types of files as attachments, including word processor or spreadsheet documents, image files, web pages (HTML files), zipped files and more. Each attachment cannot exceed 20MB. The invoice can support multiple attachments totaling over 20MB.

Add one or more attachments by clicking the Browse button next to the File boxes for each attachment. If you want to attach more than three files, click on the Add Another File link next to the Attach Files button; there is no limit to the number of attachments you can add.
When you have selected all files you wish to attach, click on the Attach Files button at the bottom of the page.
You will see the list of your attachments in the table below. Click the Done button at the bottom of the page to return to your invoice.
When you are finished attaching files to this invoice, click Next to go to the Preview & Submit screen (see How do I preview and submit my invoice?).

Step 5: Preview & Submit

Review invoice information to make sure there are no omissions. If there are errors, click any of the Edit hyperlinks (Edit Line Items, Edit Taxes & Discounts, or Edit Header) to make any changes (see How do I edit a line item in an invoice?).You can edit each line item directly from this page as long as the invoice has not been submitted.
To submit the invoice to the client, click the Submit to Client button. A submit confirmation screen appears.
To save the invoice for later submission, click the Submit Later button.
Click OK. The invoice is submitted to the client and is searchable in the Track Invoices screen.